Paper feeding apparatus



Oct 16, 1952 c. A. cHRlsToFF ETAL 3,058,638

PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1960 IE l' WM M i y 51M d C 6 @Aa Imm A Oct- 16, 1962 c. A. cHRlsToFF ETAL 3,058,638

PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 196C Oct. 16, 1962 c. A. cHRlsTol-F ETAL.

PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 29, 1960 Ande/V5 United States Patent lice 3,858,638 Patented oct. 16, 1962 3,058,638 PAPER FEEDING APPARATUS Chris A. Christo, San Gabriel, and John D. Gearheart, Baldwin Park, Calif., assignors to Clary Corporation, San Gabriel, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 29, 196i), Ser. No. 52,706 3 Claims. (Cl. 226-76) This invention relates to paper feed mechanism for use in connection with data processing equipment or the like and has particular reference to positive feed mechanism for intermittently feeding a pair of superimposed paper strips past a printing point.

When accurate feeding of a paper strip is required, the paper is generally formed with sprocket pin perforations and is fed by a sprocket having sprocket pins thereon which engage the perforations to advance the paper. Although such sprocket drive is generally successful, diiculties are encountered in drawing relatively thin paper, such as tissue paper, particularly when the paper is rapidly advanced against a relatively heavy drag. These problems are aggravated when the feed sprocket is intermittently driven at relatively high acceleration and deceleration rates, the sprocket pins tending to tear the paper surrounding the sprocket pin perforations.

The above problem, as far as the feeding of single paper strips is concerned, has been solved by locating a drive roller in frictional engagement with the paper in advance of the sprocket and causing it to drive the paper at a slightly higher peripheral speed than the sprocket, as disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Busch et al., Serial No. 788,969, iiled January 26, 1959.

Such mechanism as disclosed in the above application works very satisfactory. However, additional problems are encountered when it is desired to advance two or more superimposed paper strips past the printing point, due to the fact that the drive roller can engage only one paper strip.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to accurately and positively drive two superimposed paper strips at relatively high speed by a sprocket wheel without tearing the paper surrounding such sprocket perforations.

Another object is to accurately and positively drive two superimposed paper strips intermittently at relatively high speeds by a sprocket wheel without tearing the paper surrounding such sprocket perforations.

Another object is to separate two superimposed paper strips and dispose of them in separate containers while being driven at relatively high speeds.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a machine embodying a preferred form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view showing the driving mechanisms, and is taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a double paper construction `for a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged sectional view through the paper strips of FIG. 3 and is taken along the line 3A-3A of that figure.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the friction roller and is taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a manual paper spacing mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 2.

Generally speaking, paper strips 11 and 12 (FIG. l) are fed in superposed condition from a supply container 20 and are guided between a type cylinder 13 and platen hammers 14 for a printing operation, then over a surface 15 having a spring pressure means indicated at 9 for applying a dragging pressure to the strips ybefore the strip 12 contacts a friction roller 16. As the paper strips are fed around the roller 16, the strip 11 is separated from strip 12 whereupon the strip 11 is deposited in a container 18, and the strip 12 passes on to be engaged by a feed sprocket 19 which feeds the strip into a container 21.

The friction roller 1.6 comprises a cylinder 22 securely mounted on a rotatable shaft 23, said shaft being rotatably supported in bearings carried by machine side frames 24 and 25. Securely mounted on the outer periphery of the cylinder 22 are two bands 26 formed of a material, such as rubber, having suitable frictional characteristics.

A bushing 27 rotatably supporting one end of the shaft .23, juxtaposed to the cylinder 22, contains a bearing surface 28 which is eccentric to the bushing 27 and the shaft 23, and journals a sprocket ring 10. The bushing 27 has integrally formed thereon a key 29 which inserts into a keyway 31 of the frame 24 to prevent rotation of the bushing.

A bushing 32 loosely mounted on the opposite end of the shaft 23 has a bearing surface 33 which journals a second sprocket ring 10, having sprocket pins 17. This bushing is eccentric to the shaft 23 and is prevented from rotating out of an operating position by a locking arm 34 (FIG. 7) containing a protruding lip 35 which 'fits in a detent 36 formed in the bushing, the arm 34 being loosely mounted on the shaft 23 and on a hollow shaft 37 to prevent movement of the arm 34 and therefore its associated bushing 32. The eccentric portions of bushings 27 and 32 are coaxial with each other.

The two sprocket rings 10, which are to be rotated in synchronism, are geared together through a set of gears 38 and 39 which are mounted at opposite ends of the hollow shaft 37, the shaft being rotatably mounted on a lixed shaft 41. The gears 38 and 39' mesh with respective gears 42 and 43 integrally formed on the sprocket rings 10, whereby if one of the sprocket rings 10 is rotated the other sprocket ring 10 must also rotate.

The feed sprocket 19 (FIGS. 1 and 2) comprises a hollow cylinder 44 having its opposite ends mounted on bearing surfaces 45 of bushings 46 (only one shown), the bushings being securely mounted on a shaft 47 which is securely mounted to side members 48 and 49 (FIG. 5) of a frame assembly 51. The frame 51 is securely attached to side members 24 and 25 through means not shown. Mounted on the outer edges of the cylinder 44 are sprocket pins 50 which engage holes 40 of the paper strip 12 (FIG. 3) for driving said strip.

The friction roller 16 and the feed sprocket 19 are interconnected through an endless cog belt 52 which engages with toothed cog wheel sections 53 and 54 of equal diameter formed in the respective roller 16 and sprocket 19. Idler rollers 92 land 9'3 are rotatably supported between the side members 48 and 49' to support a portion of the belt 52 and to insure adequate angular engagement' device (not shown) an output shaft will be rotated through a desired angle. The output shaft in this disclosure is the shaft 23 so that upon the application of a pulse `to the solenoid 55, the shaft 23` is advanced counter clockwise (FIG. 2), through a similar angle, thereby driving the friction roller 16 counter clockwise and, through the cog belt 52, also driving the feed sprocket 19 counter clockwise.

It should be noted that the frictional bands 26 are formed so that their outside diameters are slightly larger than the diameters of the strip holding portion of the feed sprocket 19.

Since the roller 16 is intermediate the source of drag 9 yand the sprocket 19, the roller will tend to frictionally drive the strip 12' ahead of the sprocket. Therefore, no load will be applied to the sprocket pins at this time by the stnip. However, as a portion of the strip between the roller and the sprocket becomes slightly slack or limp, it tends to slip slightly on the roller, permitting the sprocket to take up the minute amount of slack. Thus, as the paper is again tensioned against the roller, it will again frictionally grip the surface of the roller to be advanced ahead slightly until it again becomes somewhat slack. This intermittent driving process is continuously repeated at a relatively rapid rate. Therefore, the sprocket pins never entirely drive the paper and there is no tendency for the sprocket pins to tear the perforations regardless of the `amount of drag applied to the strip.

It should be noted that the sprocket rings 10 (FIG. 4) are of the same diameter as the sprocket 19, and the amount of eccentricity of the bushings 27 and 32 is such that the peripheries of the paper engaging portions of the sprocket rings 10 lie in the plane of the peripheries of the bands 26 throughout the path of the paper strips about the roller 16. Thus, the spacings between the sprocket pins 17 on the sprocket rings 10 are maintained precisely the same as the spacings between the sprocket pins S on the sprocket 19 and the spacings between the sprocket hole perforations in the strips 11 and 12.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the strip 12 is guided into `a chute 57 formed by the roller 16 and a guide plate 58 so that the pins 17 will engage the holes 40. The paper strip 11 likewise has perforated holes 40 which are engaged by the pins 17.

The strip 11 is fed into a chute 59 formed by the guide plate 58 and a second guide plate 61, the two plates having slots (not shown) located in the paths of pins 17 so that the pins 17 project through the strip 1'2 and plate 58 to retain engagement with the strip 11 until the strip enters 'an enlarged portion of the chute generally indicated at 62, from which the strip passes into the storage container 18.

At relatively high speeds, the strip 12 is pulled taut against the rollei 16 by the sprocket pins 50 to cause the strip to be driven, while the strip 11 is frictionally held against the strip 12 by the means 9' and by engagement therewith throughout the distance from the spring means 9 to the roller 16` so that as the strip 12 is frictionally advanced by the roller 16, the friction between the two strips will tend to likewise drive the strip 11. Accordingly, the pins 17, being rotated by the strip 12, will retain the two strips in correct relationship with one another.

It should be noted at this point that one of the main purposes of the frictional roller 16 is to break the static fniction between the strip 12 and its guide surfaces during the beginning of a strip advance thereby eliminating the main cause of the pins tending to tear the strip.

Where extremely high speeds are encountered, interlocking tabs 63 (FIG. 3) are preferably formed in the strips 11 .and 12, supplying an added bond between the two strips to assist in driving the strip 11.

For threading, or in case the strip should jam in the chute 57 and/or 59, the plate 61 is rotatably supported by a fixed shaft 65 and held in its upper position by a leaf spring 66 secured to `the shaft 65. A plate 67, having a latch 68, is rotatably supported by a shaft 69 and is held in its respective position shown in FIG. 2 by a leaf spring 71 secured to a fixed shaft 72.

Finger pressure applied downwardly on the plate 61 will rotate said plate against the action of spring 66, so that a forward edge 73 of plate 61 will strike the latch 68 rotating the plate `67 counter clockwise against the action of spring 71. As the edge 73 passes beneath the lower edge of the latch 68, the spring 71 will urge the plate 67 clockwise, latching the plate 61 down to allow easy access to the chutes.

For restoring the plate 61, iinger pressure lapplied in a counter clockwise direction to the plate 67 will allow the edge 73 to escape from under the latch 63 thereby allowing the spring 66 to return plate 61 to its original illustrated position.

A plate 74, which forms a chute around said sprocket 19, for guiding the strip, is rotatably supported on a shaft 75 and is held in its upper position by slideable pins 76 and 77 (FIGS. 2 and 5). The pins, which project through the respective walls 48 and 49 of the frame 51, have knobs 78 thereon to facilitate ready removal of the pins. Should the strip 12 jam beneath the sprocket 19, the pins 76 and 77 may be removed to swing the plate 74 downward to allow access to the strip.

Should an operator desire to space the strips 11 and 12 manually, `a slider 81 (FIG. 6) is positioned on a front 82. The slider has an L-shaped arm 86 extending through a slot 79 in the panel to the inside of the machine to operate against a pin 83 on an arm 84.

The arm 84 is keyed to a member 85 of a clutching assembly generally indicated at 86 (FIG. 7). The member 85 is rotatably mounted on a hub section of a second member 87, such second member being keyed to the shaft 23 by a pin 88 held in a keyway formed in the shaft by a compression spring 88a.

The member 87 has integrally formed at one end a hub "90 whose outer diameter is equal to the outer diameter of the member 85. The member 85 causes rotation of the member 87 in one direction only through a spring 89 which is coiled around the outer peripheries of the mem ber 85 and the hub 9i) but is attached to the member 85 only. Thus, when the slider 81, and therefore the arm 8i), move downwardly against the pin 83, the arm 84 and the member 85 will be rotated counter clockwise so that the spring 89 will tighten around both members 85 and 87 to thereby rotate the member 87 and shaft 23, to thereby advance the paper strips 11 and 12.

Upon the release of the downward pressure against the slider 81 a spring 91 connected between the arm 84 and a portion (not shown) of the machine frame, will return the arm 84 and member 85 clockwise, releasing the tension in the spring 89 whereby the member 87 will stayin its adjusted position as the arm 84 and member 85 are returned to their normal illustrated positions.

Although the invention has been described herein in detail and certain specific terms and languages have been used, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A device for feeding a pair of superimposed iiexible record strips having sprocket perforations therealong cornprising means forming a source of drag for said strips, a sprocket wheel having sprocket pins engageable in the perforations of a first one of said strips for pulling said iirst strip past said source of drag, a roller engageable with said first strip intermediate said source of drag and said sprocket, said roller being arranged to cause said strip to Wrap partially therearound, the surface of said roller having frictional characteristics capable of driving said first strip without slippage when said first strip is tensioned over said roller and being incapable of driving said iirst strip when the portion of said first strip intermediate said sprocket and said roller is slack, means for rotating said sprocket, means for rotating said roller at a peripheral velocity slightly in excess of the peripheral velocity of said sprocket, a second sprocket having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said roller, and means supporting said second sprocket eccentrically of the axis of rotation of said roller but with a portion of the periphery thereof substantially aligned with a portion of the periphery of said roller engaged by said rst strip, said second sprocket having sprocket pins engageable with said sprocket perfo-rations of said first strip and being driven by said first strip independently of said roller, the other of said strips having sprocket perforations therein engageable with said sprocket pins of said second sprocket whereby to drive said second strip.

2. A device for feeding a pair of superimposed flexible record strips having sprocket perforations therealong cornprising means forming a source of drag for said strips, a sprocket having sprocket pins engageable in the perforations of a first one of said strips for pulling said rst strip past said source of drag, a roller engageable with said rst strip intermediate said source of drag and said sprocket, said roller being arranged to cause said strip to wrap partially therearound, the surface of said roller having frictional characteristics capable of driving said first strip without slipping when said strip is tensioned over said roller and being incapable of driving said first strip when the portion of said strip intermediate said sprocket and said roller is slack, said roller having a slightly larger diameter than the diameter of said sprocket, means for rotating said sprocket and said roller at the same angular rate of speed whereby said roller moves at a peripheral velocity slightly in excess of the peripheral velocity of said sprocket, a second sprocket having the same diameter as the diameter of said first mentioned sprocket, and means supporting said second sprocket eccentrically of the axis of rotation of said roller but with a portion of the periphery of said second sprocket substantially aligned with a portion of the periphery of said roller engaged by said first strip, said second sprocket having sprocket pins engageable with said sprocket perforations of said rst strip and being driven by said first strip independently of said roller, the other of said strips having sprocket perforations therein engageable with the sprocket pins of said second sprocket whereby to drive said second strip.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 comprising means for maintaining said record strips in frictional engagement with each other.

Tuttle et al Sept. 5, 1933 Sherman et al May 7, 1935 

